Trials By Fire
by Spector7
Summary: When tragedy separates Ezra from the rest of his crew, he is found and taken in by a group of Force-sensitives. Among them, Bridgers! Join him as he learns to survive and thrive with his new family by his side. These are his trials by fire. Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars Rebels or the image I used. All rights go to their owners.
1. Separation

Ezra looked around the jungle. He was tired, hot, and cuts and bruises littered his body. He didn't care. He had to find it. He had to find that Sith.

 _Ezra jerked awake, not realizing that he had lost consciousness. He looked around at his surroundings, trying to figure out where in the galaxy he had woken up. All he could see was darkness. That's when he felt it. It was something cold that touched his mind. He could feel anger, hate, fear, all that of a Sith. Unconsciously, he stiffened. If there was a sith here then he—and the crew of the Ghost could be in trouble._

" _Apprentice," a dark and emotionless tone purred. "So good of you to come."_

 _Ezra whirled around, lightsaber ignited, to face his opponent. His heart skipped a beat when he saw the tall form of a familiar Zabrak. "Maul," he gasped._

 _Maul laughed, a sinister sound, and eyed Ezra's drawn weapon. "I am…disappointed that your lightsaber is not red, yet."_

 _Ezra glared. "Never liked that color. Green suits me," he told the former Sith, a hint of sarcasm in his voice._

 _All humor vanished from Maul's face and he slowly raised up his hand, clenching it into a fist._

 _Ezra felt a cold, invisible hand wrap around his throat and tighten its grip. Ezra gasped in surprise, fear gripping his heart._

" _You are_ my _apprentice and you_ will _obey my orders. Or else." Maul paused, watching Ezra's legs idly kicking the air and he clawed at his neck. In some ways, it was satisfying to see such a powerful apprentice so helpless._

 _In time, he made his way to a small holoprojector in the center of the room and turned it on to one of the local news stations. Almost immediately, a rodian in a suit filled the area as he reported the latest news._

" _Update on Lothal's rebels: ISB agent Kallus has been found and has offered a bounty for information on the location of the Ghost. Imperials eagerly agree. Kanan Jarrus, Sabine Wren, Hera Synduly, and Garazeb Orrelios reported dead his morning, Courasaunt time. Ezra Bridger reported missing."_

 _Maul turned his yellow eyes back to Ezra. "Now do you see, Ezra Bridger?" he asked in a sharp tone. "I saved you from the Imperials. Everyone else is dead._ I _am your master."_

 _Ezra didn't answer, though it was clear that he was distressed about the news. He couldn't believe it. Hera, Sabine, Zeb, Kanan, gone? Kallus betrayed them? After all they did?_

 _Maul flicked his wrist and the boy flew into his hand. The Zabrak got a firm grip on the teen's throat and whispered something in his ear as he choked: "I am all that you have left. You_ will _obey me."_

Ezra sighed to himself as he trekked through the jungle. Why did he _believe_ Maul?

The teen stepped over a large root and maneuvered around a tree. Why was he even _here_? His min drifted back to what Maul had told him.

 _"I…will…not," Ezra bit out, his voice quiet and strained._

 _Maul glared._

" _This…is a…trick…right? It has to…be. If Kanan…was dead…then…I…would…have…felt something."_

 _Despite himself, Maul let himself smile. "Very smart. You are correct. Your master is not dead, and neither are you crew mates…yet. This is something that is bound to happen. The only way you can stop it is by finding me. I will be in the jungles of the planet of Skammask. Find me. save your friends. Good luck, my apprentice."_

Ezra slapped at a misquote. Sweat was beading on his forehead and he was starting to wonder why he came to the jungle alone. Why he even snuck on to this Skammask planet anyway. Maul's voice—his last words—rang in his ears.

" _Find me. Save your friends. Good luck, my apprentice."_

A thought popped into Ezra's head. _was he really Maul's apprentice?_ Part of him said no, reminding him that he was Kanan's Padawan. The other half planted seeds of doubt. _Am I really Kanan's Padawan? What about all the time Kanan got angry at me? would a real master do that? Wouldn't I be more powerful as Maul's apprentice? Then I could destroy the sith, couldn't I? what about all those times I used the Dark Side? a real Padawan couldn't do that._ The thoughts kept coming, distracting him from his surroundings. Ezra unintentionally walked straight into a tree.

The teen backed up from the large trunk his had hit head-on, rubbing his head, and looked. A buzzing sound could he heard from a hive hanging on a branch. Ezra gulped. He hoped that the hive wasn't full of Oudja Wasps. A single sting could hurt as much as twenty bee stings, he knew. not to mention the female's stingers were laced with poison. Problem was he didn't know what the females even _looked_ like.

As if to confirm Ezra's fears, several Oudja wasps flew out of the trunk, each the size of a small lothcat. They quickly spotted the teen and charged. Ezra tried to run, but he was constantly tripping on roots and getting grabbed by branches. After the first few feet, Ezra couldn't tell whether tree branches were grabbing at him or the wasps were stinging him. He tripped over a particularly large branch and fell feet-first into a mudhole.

When the wasps saw Ezra in the mudhole, they turned around and flew back to their home. Ezra breathed a sigh of relief tried to move his feet. He frowned when he couldn't lift them out of the mud. His breathing quickened and he started to panic. Slow realization sank in that he was stuck. Worse yet, he was slowly sinking!

"Sabine?" Hera called form the cockpit of the Ghost.

Sabine peeked her head in the doorway.

"Have you seen Ezra?" Worry could be heard in the Twi'lekk's voice.

Sabine shook her head and ducked back out.

Hera groaned. Her best guess was that Ezra had gotten bored, snuck out, and was still exploring the new planet they had been forced to land on after TIEs had damaged their ship's system. Frustrated and tired, she stood up to go find Kanan.

Ezra was up to his waist in mud, by now. His panic had not subsided and he frantically searched for a way out. Finally, he saw a large, outstretched branch, just within arm's reach. He grabbed it and pulled, struggling to free himself. The branch groaned under stress and eventually snapped, flinging Ezra deeper into the mud. It was up to his shoulders, now.

"Please, someone," he whispered. "Help me."

"WHATDOYOUMEANHE'SNOTWITHYOU?!" Hera yelled.

Kanan took a step back, which was admittedly hard since his room was so small. "I mean," he explained in a calm voice, "I haven't seen him since last night. He's probably hiding in the vents or something. Did you check those?"

Hera sighed but shook her head and headed out of Kanan's room.

Kanan sighed. _She's just overreacting…again._

Ezra drew in a shaky breath. The mud was up to his chin, now, and he was still sinking. _this isn't good this isn't good this isn't good!_ Ezra thought. He _had_ to get out of there. He felt mud lap against his lips. Terrified, he reached out with the Force, trying to contact Kanan.

Kanan felt Ezra reaching out to him with the Force. The emotions that leaked through made Kanan's blood run cold. _Fear, pain, regret…_ that was all the prompt the older Jedi needed. He rushed out of his room and to the Phantom II. He _had_ to get to Ezra. He just hoped he wouldn't be too late.

Ezra held his breath when the mud engulfed his head. he was scared—so scared. He waited to be lifted out—waited to be saved—by his master, but no one came. His lungs screamed for air. He wanted to let go and just give up, but his body wouldn't let him. He was feeling dizzy, now. Black spots filled his vision and he felt himself slowly slip away. He quickly passed out.

Kanan stopped when the connection Ezra had forged abruptly was cut off. He looked around the jungle, trying to find any sign of his Padawan. That's when he saw footprints. Worried, he followed the prints to the same pit full of mud. He saw a jumble of footprints near the edge and found Ezra's lightsaber. Kanan's heart stopped. _No. he couldn't be. Was he…_ The Jedi sank to his knees. He didn't believe it—he _couldn't_ believe it. But it was all so clear. Ezra was dead.

Ezra's eyes fluttered open, then quickly shut in the blinding light. He heard voices. They were all talking at once, echoing in his skull, giving him a headache. He desperately tried to remember what happened, his mind racing with fear. It didn't take long for him to remember. His stomach flipped and he coughed up some mud. The voices slowly faded away, leaving one whispering in his ear.

Ezra groaned and rolled over on his side, his stomach threatening to empty all its contents.

"Ezra," a voice whispered in his ear. The voice was soft, calm, and sounded strangely familiar.

Ezra squeezed his eyes shut, trying to drown out all noise.

"Ezra, wake up."

Ezra tried harder to ignore the voice whispering in his ear. A scent wafted past his nose, causing him to sit up slightly. A bowl was place next to him and the person whispering sat next to him, placing a cold, wet rag on his forehead. Ezra was confused. Why did this stranger seem so familiar? Why did she care about him like she was?

The woman seemed to read his thoughts and smiled as she gently stroked his muddy hair. "Do you trust me?" she asked in a sweet voice.

Ezra shook his head.

The woman smiled and gently brushed his cheek. "I understand. It's been a long time since I saw you. Your so grown up. You look like your father."

Ezra pulled away. "How do you know my father?" he demanded.

The woman smiled. "Oh, Ezra. Didn't you learn anything?" she looked him in the eyes. "A mother never forgets a face."

 **Please review and tell me what you want to happen! I will probably leave this story as is for a bit. Thanks for reading!**

 **-Spector7 out!**


	2. Not Alone

**Alright, I haven't abandoned you guys! Thanks for your support! As consolation, I made this chapter reaaaaaaalllllllyyyyyyy looooooooonnnnnnggggggg! Haha! Hope that put a smile on your face!**

 **May the Force be with you!**

 **-Spector7 out!**

A young human child—no older than six hears old—slipped into a dark room. In the center hung two hammocks stacked on each other like bunkbeds. The lower hammock had a lump covered by a blanket. The blanket slowly rose and fell with its occupants breathing. The child smiled; he had found his target. He crept over the bare floor, careful not to make a sound. when he was only a few feet away, he crouched down. With a victorious yell, he leapt on the hammock's occupant.

"WAKE UP EZRA!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.

Ezra sat up in his hammock when he felt something heavy land on his chest, causing him to roll out of bed and onto the hard wood floor. He groaned and cracked open an eye.

The young human peeked over the edge of the hammock, staring into Ezra's eyes and grinning wildly. "Are you awake?" he asked.

Ezra grabbed his pillow and put it over his head. "No," he mumbled, trying to regain his sleep.

The kid jumped down and sat on Ezra's back, trying to pull the pillow out of reach. "But mom wants you awake," he whined. "She said that I could jump on you if I have to." He pried open one of Ezra's eyes. "Are you awake?"

Ezra rolled over, repositioning his pillow.

The human laughed and grabbed the pillow. He threw it out of Ezra's grasp and did the same with his blanket. He rolled Ezra over started unbuttoning his shirt.

Ezra's eyes flew open and he sat up abruptly, throwing the younger child off. "Fine," he spat out, glaring. "I'm awake."

The child smiled and started climbing on Ezra, trying to reach his shoulders. "Don't you have time to wrestle?"

"I thought you said mom wanted me awake?"

"But you are awake." He was holding onto Ezra's arm now, gripping it with his arms and legs.

Ezra smiled and stood up, a child hanging onto his arm. "We don't want to make mom angry, do we? Remember the bugs?"

The child nodded, remembering when he and Ezra snuck bugs into their mom's soup. "Mom grounded you for a whole day."

Ezra nodded and ruffled the kid's messy blue-black hair. "Do you want to get grounded for another day, Jamal?" he asked.

Jamal shook his head. "Mom did say that he would ground you if you didn't get up soon."

Ezra nodded and used the Force to pull his pillow and blanket back onto his bed. He was almost done when something tackled him to the ground.

"You didn't let me jump on you," Jamal whined.

Ezra laughed and shoved him off. "After breakfast?"

Jamal's disappointed look quickly disappeared replaced by a grin. "After breakfast," he confirmed.

The two boys raced to the kitchen where their mother was setting the table. She stopped when she heard the boys race in, frowning.

"Ezra," she began, "you late for breakfast. Jamal, I told you no running in the house."

"Sorry," both boys mumbled in unison.

Their mother smiled and ruffled Jamal's hair. "It's okay." She turned to Ezra. "Can you go get you father? Tell him that we're ready to eat. Also, go get you sister."

Ezra nodded and ran out the door. Jamal was about to follow when his mother caught him by his shirt.

"You, mister, are going to help me set the table."

Ezra slipped out the door to his house and into the dirty road. He stopped and breathed in the thick, humid air while listening to all the sounds of the jungle. Their village was located in the lush jungles of Skammask—the same planet Ezra had gotten lost on and nearly drowned—near a clearing amongst the trees. It was well hidden and almost always bustling with activity. The streets were filled with children playing tag. Some teens hung out near the edges of the village—girls gossiping with each other and boys having contests to try to determine who was going to be a better Jedi.

It was strange to live there. Everyone was so trusting and open. Fathers taught their sons about the Force and children practiced their skills openly. What took the most adjusting, though, was Ezra's family. His mother, his father, his younger brother, and his twin sister had all been hiding from the Empire on that planet. His parents had to fake their death—to lie to all their friends—just to survive. They had been hiding for several years, now. His father had gone out to look for Ezra more than once, but to no avail. Imagine their surprise when their lost son turned up in a hidden Jedi temple.

When Ezra's father found his son unconscious, he immediately brought him home. Ezra's mother had taken care of him through the night. Neither parent had left their son's side. that was a week ago. Since then, Ezra had learned that his family had changed almost as much as he had. His father went by Kaye, and his mother by Jaina. He never bothered to ask why. They had raised another son, Jamal, who was like a miniature Ezra. Jamal looked up to Ezra in many ways, dreaming to be just like his older brother when he grew up. The only one not completely overjoyed by Ezra's return was his twin sister, Emily. Ezra never knew why. When they were younger, they did everything together. They loved each other and were almost inseparable. But since Emily had grown up the two had barely said a word to each other. Emily spent most of her time in the village with her friends. The only time Ezra really saw her was during meals.

And now Ezra was supposed to tell her that breakfast was ready. Drawing in a deep breath, he stepped out into the street, dodging children who ran in front of him. He quickly spotted her near her friend's house. She was surrounded by several humans, Chatniss, togruta, twi'lekks, and rodians. They were all in a tight circle chatting loudly about the latest gossip.

Ezra swallowed. He walked up and tapped the nearest girl on the shoulder. She turned around, surprised, and instinctively shoved Ezra backwards.

He lost his balance and fell backwards, landing hard in a small puddle full of muddy water and spraying some of the girls close to him.

They squealed and jumped back, complaining loudly about being wet and muddy.

Ezra slowly got up, soaked and dripping with mud. His clothes were brown.

"Ezra!" he heard a voice snap. A young female human with long blue-black hair and piercing blue eyes made her way to the front of the crowd. "What do you think you are doing here?"

Ezra avoided his sister Emily's gaze. "Breakfast's ready," he mumbled.

Emily nodded and flicked a glob of dirt off her light dress. She turned to her friends. "Why don't we get washed off. Wouldn't want to get any dirtier than we already are." She turned and walked away, making a big circle around Ezra. The others did the same, some of them laughing.

Ezra let out a sigh. No matter what he did, he was never treated as Emily's brother. He treated like a pest. With nothing better to do, he trudged down the road to go find his father. Most of the day, he was at the old Jedi temple hear the edge of the village. Ezra didn't know why his father spent so much time there since he wasn't technically allowed inside. All he knew was that as chief of the village, he had to spend a lot of time there.

It only took a little while for him to make it to the outskirts. Here, there were less people and no houses. Trees and bushes grew in small patches around the road. He could hear the footsteps of creatures that lived in the forest. Looming at the end of the path, entrance wide open, was a Jedi temple. The large stone structure was shaped like a pyramid, each layer creating a wide shelf. The top was flat instead of a point. No one had ever dared venture to the top. It was considered forbidden.

Ezra peeked into the entrance, not daring to enter. Shadows danced on the walls and a hummer bird was busy spinning a web in the dark corners of the doorway. A cold breeze blew past him, causing a shiver to run through his body. He thought he saw something in the entrance—perhaps his father—so he took a tentative step inside. One step turned into two, then three, then four. Soon, he found himself several feet from the doorway. Inside, the temple was dark and filled with dust. a small lamp burned from the ceiling, creating flickering shadows that seemed to dance and chase each other across the walls. As soon as he stepped inside, the shadows stopped. They seemingly turned to stare at the visitor. Some of them had curiosity running through their veins while others knew the teen didn't belong.

Ezra watched as the shadows ran across the wall and through a hallway as if they had a mind of their own. With nothing better to do, he followed. Several hummers flew past his ear in the darkness of the caves, zipping past his ear with their wings beating a mile a minute.

Ezra eventually came to the end of the hallway and was greeted by a large cavern. It was lit up by two lightsabers clashing in the center. Wielding those lightsabers, Ezra's father, Kaye, and another stranger fought. Kaye's white saber clashed with the stranger's red. Ezra winced. He could feel the power radiating off the two sabers.

Kaye slashed at his opponent's arm, nearly hitting his target. His opponent mealy danced out of the way with a smile on his face. He turned to face the Jedi, twirling his lightsaber mockingly. The Jedi's face contorted into that of pure rage. Almost immediately, strands of light rose up from the floor, all dancing around Kaye's hands. His opponent frowned. The light continued to grow, each tendril flowing around his hands. His hands started to glow as the light flowed around his body, lighting up the entire cavern. Kaye closed his eyes and let the power flow through him. The light slowly started to orbit the Jedi, each time round going faster. The light grew stronger and brighter. Kaye's opponent took cover behind a boulder as the light slowly became blinding. It imploded, sending a shockwave that shattered most stalactites and stalagmites in its way.

Kaye's opponent slowly slipped away from the boulder, his dirty blond hair full over dirt after having to dive for cover. "I thought we agreed to no powers," he said, rubbing the bruise on his head. "You nearly killed me there, Kaye."

Kaye shrugged. "Sorry, David. I can't help it."

"Does your son know about his powers yet?"

Kaye shook his head.

"Good. Keep it that way. I can't have two Bridgers trying to kill me."

Kaye frowned. "David," he scolded. "This is my son we're talking about."

David laughed. "If he's a daredevil like you, he should stay young as long as he can. Keep his powers under control."

Kaye shook his head. "I can't keep secrets from my son."

"You already are."

Kaye avoided David's gaze guiltily.

"David one, Kaye zero."

Kaye glared at him.

"Dad?" Ezra's small voice broke through Kaye's thoughts. He turned to face his son and a smile appeared on his face.

"Do you need something?" he asked Ezra.

Ezra shrugged. "Mom wants you to come back home. Breakfast's done."

Kaye nodded and gathered his lightsaber.

"What is this place?" Ezra asked as Kaye toyed with his weapon.

"I thought I told you. It's a Jedi temple."

David whistled under his breath. "Lying to your son. Low blow…"

Kaye glared at him.

"Is it really a Jedi temple?" Ezra asked.

David gave Kaye a quick nudge. "Go on. spill the beans."

Kaye sighed, defeated. "No," e finally admitted. "It was actually the temple of a Grey Jedi. It's been here for a while, now. This is where the spirits of all the great Grey Jedi go when they die. It is a bridge between the Mortal Realm and the Spirit Realm."

Ezra looked confused. "What's the Spirit Realm?" he asked.

David shook his head. "Kaye, your falling down on the job. What kind of dad are you? Your own son doesn't know what the Spirit Realm is."

Kaye ignored him. "The Spirit Realm is where we go when we die. Or," he glared at David, "David steals your soul."

David gave Kaye his best hurt expression. "Really? That was…like…two whole years ago! 730 days! Do you know how long that is?!"

Kaye ignored him. "As chief, your job is to serve as a mediator between the mortals and the spirits. The spirits have great wisdom. They teach us."

Ezra frowned. "So, you come here to talk to dead people?"

David let out a laugh. "Yep! Only Kaye's crazy enough to do that. Maybe that's why he's lost it."

"But, why don't you let me come with you?" Ezra asked.

"Where there are Spirits, there are Shadows. There is no darkness without light," Kaye answered with a grave look on his face.

"That doesn't answer my question," Ezra whined.

Kaye smiled. "It'll make more sense when your older." He draped a hand around Ezra's shoulder and led him towards the exit. "We'd better go. You know how your mom gets when we're late.

Ezra laughed.

David frowned as the two walked away. He knew that Kaye needed to tell his son about the power he had within him. If Kaye didn't, it could—and would—destroy Ezra and everyone around him.

 **Hope you enjoyed it! Please leave a review on the way out!**


	3. Author's note

**Hey, all! Thanks for all of your support, but I currently have a really bad case of writer's block on this fic. I AM NOT JUST GOING TO LET IT GO! If you could review and give me some ideas for one-shots, that would be great! I have other ideas for new chapters, but I was going to hold off and let the writer's block pass. Thanks for reading and PLEASE REVIEW! I NEED THEM MORE NOW THAN EVER!**

 **-Spector7 out!**


	4. Defeat and Hope

**I did it! I'm back with more on this fic! Sorry about the delay. Had some bad Writer's Block on this one.**

 **Chelsea: Thanks for reviewing! I hope the new description gives you a better idea and as for the Kanan/Ezra moment I wrote this chapter. Is this what you had in mind?**

 **5.56X45: I couldn't fit something like that in this fic, but would be happy to write a one-shot separate from the fic I am writing. Would that work? Thanks for reviewing and sorry I couldn't PM you.**

 **Everyone else: thanks for all your support and please read the new summary if you haven't already. What do you think? Also, should I change the cover picture, or do you like it the way it is? Finally, does anyone have a better title for this chapter? I'm blank.**

 **Please review and let me know!**

 **Enjoy!**

He knew this day was coming, and he couldn't stop it. He had been dreading it all week. And now it was here. He would have to face the fire head on.

Ezra rolled over in his hammock as these thoughts filled his mind. He glanced out at hope window. It was late morning. His mother would be yelling at him soon. He tried to get up, but he felt mentally and physically exhausted. Maybe it was the game of touch-the-torch he played with his young brother and his father the other day. It really didn't matter, though. It wouldn't change how bad he felt.

"Ezra?" his mother called from the kitchen. "Are you feeling okay?"

Ezra didn't answer. He rolled onto his back and tried to fall back asleep.

Something touched his shoulder. He looked up to see the kind blue eyes of his father. His hair—normally pulled back—fell messily across his shoulders. "You okay, son?" he asked with a worried look in his eyes.

Ezra nodded and tried once more to fall asleep, but his father shook him awake.

"Are you sure?" he persisted. "I felt a disturbance in the Force and it was coming from you room. I couldn't get any sleep with all the emotions through our bond. Is something wrong?"

Ezra shrugged. "Just not having the best day today."

His father frowned. "The day hasn't even started yet." He paused, then a small smile played on his lips. "It's that day, isnt it?"

"What day?"

"The day I found you half-dead in a Spirit temple."

Ezra nodded. it was the day he lost his crew.

Ezra's father—Kaye—pulled a chair next to Ezra's bed and sat down. "I understand why you don't want to get up," he told his son. "When my master died, I felt like part of me died with him. I didn't want to eat, train, or even talk to anyone. I just wanted to curl up and sleep for the rest of the week. At first, I didn't tell anyone. But eventually my friends found out and they told me something: they told me that it is an old, Spiritian tradition that when a master or good friend dies, that day is considered a special day." He got up and helped Ezra to his feet. "There is a way to speak to them, even if they are dead."

Ezra started to perk up.

"When someone dies, they go to be with the Great Spirit in one of the many temples around here. Sometimes, you can see them. It just takes practice and guidance."

Ezra cocked his head, slightly. "So…does this mean I can go back to the Ghost?"

Kaye shrugged. "Physically, no. but you can go back as a Force ghost for a short time, if that's what you want."

Ezra nodded vigorously. "That's really all I want to do right now."

Kaye sat down on the floor cross-legged. Ezra did the same.

"Picture the Ghost in your mind. Tell the Force that you want to go there, and your wish will be granted."

Ezra let his eyes drift close and he pictured the Common Room of the Ghost, filled with all the crew.

"How are you holding up, today?" Hera asked Kanan as she walked into the cockpit of the Ghost, two mugs of steaming caf in her hands.

Kanan didn't bother to look up from his work of fixing the steering system. "Good. Why would that change?"

"Don't you know what today is?" she asked with a huff.

Kanan shrugged. "Friday?"

Hera shook her head. "Today is exactly a year from when Ezra disappeared," she told him.

Kanan didn't bother to look up from his work. He simply nodded.

Hera sighed but knew she wasn't going to get anything out of the Jedi. Se set one of the mugs down and strode out of the room.

Kanan let his hands drop to his sides as an overwhelming sense of losses threatened to drown him. How he missed his younger Padawan! Everyone did. He could sense their sadness hanging like a cloud over them all. A tear slipped out of his eye. A sniff could be heard within the cockpit. Kanan Jarrus, Jedi knight and unbreakable leader, could no longer suppress his grief. He had to accept the fact that Ezra was gone. His Padawan was dead.

Ezra landed with a small thump on the floor of the cockpit. He looked around the room and smiled. He had done it. He was back on the Ghost.

A muffled sob came from near the front. He looked up to see his master, Kanan, kneeling on the ground next to a broken piece of hyperdrive or whatever. He slowly got to his feet and walked to where Kanan sat. He reached out and laid a hand on his master's shoulder, causing the Jedi to look up.

"Kanan?" Ezra asked. "What's wrong?"

Kanan didn't answer. He turned several different shades, all unnaturally lighter than they should be, before lifting a shaking hand to gently touch his Padawan's face.

Ezra grinned and threw his hands around Kanan's neck. "I missed you so much," he whispered.

Kanan just sat there, still too stunned to speak. Finally, "Are you dead?"

Ezra laughed. "Nope. I honestly don't know what happened, but I found a family. _My_ family. Mom, Dad, my sister, and my new little brother are all there! They're so happy to see me! And I learned this new game called touch-the-torch. Dad says him really good at it, and—"he paused when he saw Kanan's sad expression. "What's wrong?"

Kanan smiled sadly and wiped away a stray tear. "I'm just so happy that you found your family. Especially after all this time of thinking they were dead."

"But?"

"But we all miss you here on the Ghost. It's just not the same without you. You know what I mean? It's so quiet sometimes."

Ezra nodded solemnly. "I could ask my dad if I could go back with you…"

Kanan shook his head. "No, your place is with your family."

For second, Ezra just stood there, shocked. He didn't want to leave the crew, but he didn't want to leave his family either. "Yes, master," he finally answered. He turned to go, but stopped and ran over to embrace the Jedi. Kanan smiled and hugged him back. The two sat there for a short while before Ezra had to go. He backed up and looked around at the cockpit and Kanan one last time before disappearing into thin air.

"How was it?" Kaye asked his son when he appeared back inside his room.

Ezra shrugged.

"Feeling better?"

Another shrug.

Kaye draped his arm across Ezra's shoulders and smiled. "C'mon," he told Ezra, "up for another match of touch-the-torch?"

Ezra smiled and nodded. As they walked to the playing field, Ezra said, "Thanks Dad."

Kaye looked down and playfully shoved his son to the side. "No problem, son."

 **It's really fun to write space family fluff. Especially when said space family isn't supposed to exist… Anywho, did you like it? What do you think about Ezra's father? Do you have a request? Review and let me know!**

 **May the Force be with you!**

 **-Spector7 out!**


	5. First Day of School

**Alright, sorry I haven't posted in a while. Life got in the way. To make up for it, this is a long chapter. It also has a lot of Spirit Jedi stuff in it, as well as some new words. Let me know if it's confusing and you need some help!**

"You must be empty, yet full. There is no you. There is the Force. You are the Force. She fills you completely. She is you. You are her. You and she are one."

"How do you know that she's a girl?" Ezra asked. "I thought it was just…well…the Force."

Kaye laughed. "The Force is something strange and complicated. It is an actual being, but not like you or me. it can take human form."

Ezra nodded.

Kaye crossed his arms. "As I was saying, you must learn not only to feel Force, but see her." He lifted a rock with the Force. "Do you see anything?"

Ezra shook his head. "Just you lifting a rock," he admitted.

Kaye nodded. "Look closer," he instructed. "Try to picture the Force moving the rock and holding it up. It looks kind of like light."

Ezra squinted. "I don't see anything. Kanan never said anything about the Force having form."

Kaye frowned. "Can you forget about what Kanan said? There is a difference between Jedi and Spirits. I'm a Spirit and so are you. You need to think like a Spirit, not like a Jedi. Try this." He picked up his son with the Force and levitated him a couple feet off the ground. "See anything?"

Ezra shook his head again.

Kaye sighed and set him down. "That's enough training for today. Let's go home." He smirked. "Don't want to keep your mom waiting."

Ezra grinned. He followed his father out of the cave they were training in. no matter what happened, Ezra couldn't be happier. He was home.

* * *

Kaye frowned at the past events. He tried to get Ezra to remember the things he taught his son when he was younger, but no matter what he taught Ezra would just do things the Jedi way or refer to this Kanan. He had nothing against his son's former master but Kanan training him to be a Jedi was unacceptable. Jedi were traitors. They would only put his family in danger. And for his son to be raised as one…

Kaye shook his head. he shouldn't think that way. his son would become a powerful Spirit and take his place as chief, even if it killed him. He smiled at his son's short blue hair and bright blue eyes. Maybe it was a good thing that he didn't know how much danger he was in. David's words still echoed in his mind, though. _you'll have to tell him, sooner or later._ He would tell his son, Kaye decided. Just later.

* * *

"How did training go?" Jaina asked as Kaye collapsed in a chair.

Kaye groaned.

"Not good?"

" _Your_ son kept leaning towards the Jedi way of doing things," Kaye told his wife.

Jaina frowned. " _My_ son? Just who suggested that we have kids? And who was looking at a bed big enough for _both_ of us?"

Kaye laughed. "Okay, so it was a team effort. Point is, we gotta get _your_ son to think like a Spirit. The last thing we need is a Jedi threatening our existence."

Jaina glared. "That's just offensive. I'm a Jedi."

"But you not exactly normal."

"Neither are you," Jaina agreed. She leaned on his chest. "What are we going to do about Ezra?"

Kaye sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I honestly don't know. Maybe if he hangs out with some of the other boys they'll rub off on him."

Jaina looked her husband in the eye. "What are you suggesting, Kaye Z?"

Kaye sighed. "We need to send him to school."

* * *

"Jamal?" Kaye asked as he walked into the kitchen. He was trying to gulp down the last of his breakfast before he and Emily had to rush off to school. The little boy looked up, unaware of his blue milk mustache.

"Yea, dad?"

"Can you get your older brother up?" Kaye asked. "We wouldn't want him to be late for school." He exchanged a glance with Jaina.

Jamal nodded and hoped down from his seat at the table. He rushed off into the hall.

Jaina caught Kaye's eye and frowned. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" she asked. "Sending him to school so soon? It's only been over a year since we got him back."

Kaye nodded firmly. "Ezra needs to learn to think like a Spirit. What better way to teach him than to send him to school. He'll get to know some boys his age and adjust to life here at the village. It'll go great. He'll be back home before you know it."

Jaina just shook her head. She had a bad feeling about this.

* * *

Ezra looked nervously at the large hut in front of him. Several beings of all species and gender flocked to the entrance, chatting amongst each other.

"Do I have to go?" Ezra sked for the fifth time.

Kaye nodded, slowly guiding him to the entrance. "Trust me. The day will fly by. You'll have a blast."

"I don't know…"

Kaye turned the boy to face him. "Ezra, me and your mother got you back only a year ago. We want the best for you. We will never send you somewhere dangerous. You'll be safe here."

Ezra nodded, trying to swallow back his fear. He turned to the hut and walked in.

Kaye watched his son as he walked inside. _He'll be okay,_ he told himself. _What trouble can he get in at school?_

* * *

The school itself was more like a large atrium hut. Different doors led outside. They were all labeled in a strange language he couldn't read. It certainly wasn't aurabesh. All the younger beings rushed to one door or another and disappeared.

After some investigation, a grown up directed Ezra to the correct door. Strangely enough, the door led outside and to a different hut smaller than the first.

Inside the hut, eight to ten woven mats were laid in rows. Several younglings Ezra's age sat cross-legged and busily talked with each other. Ezra nervously made his way to the one empty mat and sat down, looking around the room and trying to take in all the different posters that lined the walls. All seemed to be written in the same strange language.

The chatter died down as a tall, thin human male walked to the front of the hut. He had a traditional Jedi robe, though it was slightly tattered, and well cropped black hair. Beady eyes seemed to stare into each student's soul.

Fear gripped Ezra's soul as he realized that this was to be his teacher for the rest of the year.

Just as he was starting to panic, the teacher's face broke into a smile. A chorus of friendly greetings rose up from the group. Everyone seemed to be happy to see him.

"Greetings, my young students!" he exclaimed. "I trust you all had a good break?"

A collective "Yes!" was given.

The teacher's smile seemed to only grow. "Good! I must say I missed you all! I was happy to see some of my students, like Ethan, at the games this year. You did a good job, Ethan!"

Everyone clapped and congratulated a tall, blond, curly haired boy sitting near the front.

"As for the rest of you, I must say I missed you terribly." He scanned the room. "As we do every year, are there any new students?"

Ezra and another boy raised their hands.

The teacher smiled. "Wonderful!" he exclaimed. "I can't wait to get to know you this year!" he turned to the rest of the class. "I'll give you all some time to go over and review the alphabet and your spelling words from last year while I talk to the new students."

The students all got into small groups with their friends and started to talk. The hut was soon filled with chatter.

The teacher gestured to the two new boys. Ezra and the other new student stood and followed their teacher out of the hut and into the blinding sun. he turned and sized up the two young men.

"I'm happy to be your teacher for the years to come," the teacher started. "I'm Marco Skywalker—that would be Master Skywalker to you—and I get to educate you on the traditions of the Spirit Jedi. But first, allow me to get to know you two." He pointed to Ezra. "What is your name, my good boy? Where do you come from?"

Ezra quickly explained about the Rebellion, the Ghost crew, and his recent adventures here. Talking about his old crew brought a pang of sadness, but he did his best to swallow his grief.

Master Skywalker nodded. "I see," he muttered absentmindedly. "I remember speaking to your father about that subject. Raised to be the new chief of this village, I understand." He broke into a smile. "Do not worry," he assured Ezra. "I will help you get to our customs." He turned to the other boy, who had kept silent all that time. "What is your name?"

"Rebelliono Shantaliea, sir."

Master Skywalker made a face. "Who named you that?"

"My mom, sir."

He bit back a groan. "Very well. Can I just call you Rebel?"

Rebelliono—Rebel—nodded.

"What's your history?"

The young boy looked down and shifted his weight from one foot to another. Ezra thought he sensed fear.

"I honestly don't know my parents. I was taken from my village when I was three and sold as a slave. Some of the Jedi here bought my freedom."

Master Skywalker nodded gravely. "I understand. I hope you will find peace here." He clapped his hands together. "Perfect! Now that we got the formalities out of the way, we can start getting you caught up on all the things a youngling your age would know."

The next few hours were filled with lessons on history, writing, language, and general Force skills. All of it was new to Ezra and none of it seemed like the Jedi Kanan had told him about. It wasn't long before Master Skywalker stood up from his spot on the soft ground and glanced at the sun. "It seems it is time for lunch. I'll escort you two to your lunch hut and leave you to your meals. Remind me to introduce you to some boys your age." He guided the two to one of the biggest huts bustling with beings all talking at once. "Go get in line for your meal," he instructed. "We'll meet back at the same hut afterwards." He winked. "The second half of the day is always the most fun."

With nothing better to do, Ezra and Rebel got in line with all the other boys and girls and other non-gender beings.

Lunch didn't look very appetizing.

Most of it was either too spicy or too bland for Ezra's taste. Of course, it didn't help that he didn't know what to ask for. When he requested Space Waffles, everyone just stared at him. Rebel seemed to have the same problem, Ezra noted. Strangely, he didn't show it. The skinny boy just choked down his meal like he was starving. Judging by his past, he probably was. The two new boys had found an empty bench in the back of the hut and had taken to sitting there, not wanting to interact with the others who were speaking in a language that was far from basic.

It was when Ezra gulped down a bite of some sort of spicy bread that he saw—or rather sensed—someone approaching. He and Rebel looked up to see the same tall boy with curly blond hair that had been recognized in class that morning. He was standing over them and holding a tray of half-eaten food, a large grin plastered on his face.

"Can I sit here?" he asked cheerfully.

Ezra, desperate for company, skootched over to make room for the newcomer.

The young man sat down and dug into his food. In-between bites, he made conversation. "So how do you like Master Skywalker?"

Ezra shrugged. _He's no Kanan_ , he thought. "He's really nice."

He nodded. "I know. I've had him since I was two harvests old." He eyed the untouched food on Ezra's platter, particularly a ginger-colored goo. "Did you want your _senpah_?" he asked, pointing to the goo.

Ezra's stomach turned and he handed the whole tray over. "Help yourself," he muttered, trying to keep the bile from rising up in his throat.

The boy laughed and spooned the leftovers onto his tray. "Not used to the food here?" he questioned.

Ezra shook his head. "Too spicy," he decided.

He laughed again. "I understand. It takes some getting used to, but you'll get used to it. All the _Spece Bay_ sdo."

Ezra frowned. "What did you just call me?"

"I called you a _Spece Bay._ Why?"

"Is that an insult?"

The boy laughed loudly. "No, you _Xolby_! It just means you're not from round here. You come from _Spece."_

"Space, right?" Ezra confirmed.

The boy nodded and slapped his new friend on the back. "You're catching on, new _yeha_! Tell you what. I'm a team chief for the next exercise. I'll talk to Master Skywalker and see if you and your friend can be on my team." He glanced at the sun. "Good timing, too. Lunch is over."

Ezra cocked his head. "How can you tell?"

He pointed to the sun in the sky. "The _balla_ shows it. You'll learn that in school."

Ezra just shrugged and followed the boy and Rebel back to their hut.

The next hour was mostly reviewing what the other students had learned during Master Skywalker's absence and going over what little homework they had.

Afterwards, the teacher led his group out of the hut and into a large clearing at the edge of a dense jungle. Strange and savage sounds floated up from thick foliage. Ezra could sense multiple Force signatures, some of them responding when he touched their minds. He shivered.

"This," Master Skywalker started, gesturing to the jungle, "is the great _Sapalia e Gegul._ Hidden amongst all the _haloes_ are several flags. You and your team have to work together to find and bring at least one flag to me by _balla law._ Understand?"

There was a chorus of "yea" and "yes." Ezra silently hoped that someone on his team knew what the teacher was talking about. He was clueless.

Master Skywalker pulled out what looked like some sort of list. He read out the names of the team leaders and the beings on their teams. Ezra tuned out until his name was read.

"Ethan," Master Skywalker shouted over the chatter. "You will have Shay, Lorena, Rebel, and Ezra on your team."

Ezra let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. At least he was part of a team he knew, sort of.

What he didn't know was that his adventures were only beginning.

 **Sorry I had to break this chapter up. It's longer than I thought.**

 **Thanks for your continued support and please follow, favorite, and review!**

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 **May the Force be with you!**

 **Spector7 out.**

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	6. Another Author's Note

**Hey guys!**

 **Yea I know another author's note BUT I got stuck again and I need your help! I have some ideas as to where I want this to go but for now what do YOU want to see? More Ezra? More Ghost Crew? More OCs? PLEEEEEEASE review and let me know! I will try to come up with another chapter as soon as I can but your reviews and ideas help soooo much!**

 **Thanks for sticking with this fic! Your support means a lot!**

 **May the Force be with you!**

 **-Spector7 out**


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